PaulVE64

This guy fishes for Susky smallies out of a kayak Hope it helps, I find his tutorials interesting.

I'm guessing you're on a fairly big river. It makes sense to be filtering water.

For bank fishing i assume you'll be staying in water under 15' and throwing lures under 3/8 oz. I dont see a MH spinning rod that starts at 3/8oz being of any great use. If the pfleuger rod is a med/fast get a med/medium Or drop down to a MLF

I've see some impressive musky but never hooked into one

First the sand, then the hooks! - wader's battlecry

Jeff little did a nice video on that. He called it progression of aggression.

I'm normally wading my river so I am realistically not going to cover that much ground. I also not worried about finding smallies because I know they're there. So given that they're seeing my lures I just need to make the presentation they want. I find they hit almost everything depending on water and conditions. But it's almost always a finesse presentation like a 4" yum dinger in GP with a split shot. Quite often it's what I start with. I throw upriver and aim just beyond my target allowing the current to draw my lure in. It's often a slack line that stops moving right that triggers a hookset but sometimes they hit it hard. They rarely run with it before the hookset but when they do I keep hitting that spot until I catch them all.

I prefer bigger reels for line pickup in current.

Must be tough to tie knots with the sausages that mason's call fingers

Hope you hook into a 4# smallie. But, it may ruin you.

Biggest smallie I ever caught had very definately once been tboned by a pike. Well healed but noticable teeth marks/mangled scales on both flanks in that very distinctive shape. I always wondered if that experience with a pike made that smallie more wary and ensured a longer life. They take 15-20 years to get over 5# (where I caught it)

Having alot of experience sight fishing I would tell you to keep targetting structure. You're getting their attention with the slow hops and triggering a bite with the quicker movement. You might do well throwing a crankbait there but maybe the bass wont chase. Everyday is different but I really like a slow jig with big and small hops.

I've heard that turning them upside down will stop them from thrashing

I bring 1 rod. I enjoy simple stress free wade fishing and I handpick my lures before i go. The rod I choose is always based on the location and lures I'm using. It's not ideal and I often use inadequate (but expensive) equipment for alot of techniques. If I fish from a kayak or boat I probably have 5 rods.

Thankfully, we're not arguing about native Cutthroat Trout. Those guys are extreme.

I back off the drag and reel seat

I have both of these reels. The Nasci is smoother but after a month of use it needed cleaning to remain smooth. The BG is heavier but is bulletproof. Both good reels but I prefer the BG

It will work but if your going all braid then just take a permanent marker to the last 10 ft of the hi vis. I've never tried this but if looks nice

Omg Smallies love a weightless plastic worm. I like a 4" or 5" worm in either pearl white or green pumpkin. Doesnt matter what brand. Senkos are heavier but are fragile. Yum dingers are a nice value and quality. Lots of small companies make a decent worm.

It's amazing what that silver minnow will go thru

I'd try jigging a 1/2 oz spoon in a baitfish colour on that stone bluff

I'm blessed to have a decent smallie river running thru my home town and the time to go. I enjoy a very simple Huck Finn approach and it's really easy to fall into predictable patterns. Heck I went like 2 or 3 years without throwing a spinnerbait.

Everything in your price range is going to be worthy. Go to as many (local) shops and bring the rod, test out everything and likely it'll find you.

Hahaha, I almost went out fishing yesterday with only soft plastics. Sometimes I only bring one type of lure though it doesnt often catch alot of fish

Fished the river yesterday. Caught a few dinks but the bite was inconsistent. Switched up presentations and colours but the smallies were mostly just slashing at it. The worst was walking a sammy and having it pulled under three times without feeling any weight on the line. Just wanted to ripset so bad.